Global trade data from March distributed by Panjiva shows slow but steady improvement in activity. Specifically, there was:

• a 3-percent increase in the number of global of manufacturers shipping to the U.S. market (vs. a 2-percent increase last year)
• a 6-percent increase in the number of U.S. companies receiving waterborne shipments from global manufacturers.

Panjiva CEO Josh Green feels the numbers indicate that U.S. imports are following their seasonal path - and perhaps even growing a bit - suggesting that an economic recovery may be taking hold.

Panjiva cites further evidence that cautious optimism is warranted:

• The percentage of significant manufacturers on the Panjiva Watch List fell to its lowest level yet, down 1 percent from February to 18 percent in March.
• The percentage of significant buyers having done business with a Panjiva Watch List supplier in the preceding three months declined further from 27 percent to 25 percent.
• The number of waterborne shipments coming into the U.S. in March increased 1 percent from February - and is up 15 percent year over year.

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